West Palm Beach: President Donald Trump on Sunday has indicated he plans to meet New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, saying they will “work something out,” in what could mark a thaw between two political rivals.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Mamdani in recent months, falsely branding him a “communist” and warning that his election would spell disaster for New York. He also threatened to cut federal funding to the city and even suggested deporting Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and later became a naturalised US citizen.
Mamdani, 34, rose from state lawmaker to national prominence during his mayoral campaign, positioning himself as a progressive voice against Trump’s hardline agenda. He defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points, appealing to a broad coalition of New Yorkers.
In his victory speech, Mamdani vowed to show the country how to resist Trump. Yet the following day, while outlining plans to “Trump-proof” New York, he also said he was prepared to work with anyone, including the president, if it benefited residents.
On Sunday, Trump told reporters: “The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us. We’ll work something out.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed he was referring to Mamdani, though no date has been set.
A spokesperson for Mamdani pointed to his earlier remarks that he intended to reach out to the White House, calling the relationship “critical to the success of the city.”
Trump also suggested the US may soon hold talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid a military buildup near the South American nation. “I’ll talk to anybody,” he said.
(Inputs from AP)